Lucian held Isabel close, his arms wrapped around her as if he could never let her go again. The warmth of her body against his, the familiar scent of her skin—it all felt like a dream he never wanted to wake from. His lips brushed against her shoulder, and for a moment, he allowed himself to believe that this closeness could erase the years of distance and pain between them.
But just as he lost himself in the feel of her, Isabel’s voice cut through the haze like a cold blade. “How could you lay your hands on me?” Her words were sharp, laced with a bitterness that sent a jolt of reality crashing down on him.
Lucian stiffened, surprised by the sudden shift in her tone. He had expected resistance, perhaps even anger, but the quiet accusation in her voice was something he wasn’t prepared f
